June has arrived, busy witches! You know what that means. It’s Litha time. Maybe you’re wondering, what is Litha? Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.
In today’s post, we’ll look at all the basics and correspondences of Litha. When you’re done reading, you’ll be able to build your own magical Litha celebration based on the themes that most strongly speak to you.
Busy Witchy Mama is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This post may contain affiliate links through Amazon or other affiliate programs. If you choose to make a purchase through an affiliate link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and I only recommend products that I believe in. Read my full disclosure here. Thank you for your support!
Early pagans (and also just early humans, really) relied completely on the cycles of the seasons for survival. They had to know when the growing seasons started, peaked, and finished in order to grow enough food to make it through winter. Different cultures observed these cyclical changes in varying ways, but most ancient cultures did observe them in some form.
In modern times, most of us don’t worry about growing food for survival anymore, so we’ve become detached from the cycles of nature. Luckily, all us modern witches and pagans can still tap into these cycles by observing the Wheel of the Year – the eight Sabbats.
What are the origins of the Wheel of the Year?
The Wheel of the Year is Wicca’s answer to modern witches seeking communion with the cycles of nature. These festivals were created by Gerald Gardner, regarded as the founder of modern Wicca. I believe these are modern festivals, but he’ll tell you they’re rooted in ancient tradition. Far be it from me to argue with Gardner. I don’t personally think it matters whether they are ancient or modern.
What does matter to me, though, is knowing the origins of these celebrations. The 4 greater Sabbats (Imbolc, Beltane, Lammas/Lughnasadh, Samhain) are based in Celtic and western European origins, while the other 4 lesser Sabbats (Yule, Ostara, Litha, Mabon) mark the transitional times between the greater Sabbats.
Why is this important? Well, Britain and western Europe have a very specific annual cycle based on their climate. Spring often starts to peek its head out in February, and the growing season is done by the first of November. Winter is cold and snowy, and summer is one big, long growing season.
What If I Don't Live in Europe?
If you live in Texas, Northern Canada, Mexico, the entire Southern Hemisphere, or any number of other places in the world, your annual cycles look different. Your winter might start late like mine. You might not have a winter at all. Maybe you have growing dead zones in December and July. You might even need to observe those changes in the opposite order!
While the Wheel of the Year is well established as a tradition, your input as a witch matters. The best way to celebrate the Sabbats is to learn about them and modify them to be specific to your area. Trust your intuition, and trust your environment when determining what traditions are important to you and which ones you will leave behind. The Wheel of the Year, after all, is meant to help you connect to the cycles of nature.
But I'm Not Wiccan. Can I Still Celebrate?
I’ve never met a Wiccan who will tell you no, though I’m sure they exist. Pretty much everyone I’ve ever spoken to or read information from agrees that the Wheel of the Year is accessible to all of us. Even those of us who are not Wiccan. Modern witchcraft is so variable. There’s no rule book, and you get to make it your own. These celebrations bring us all together even when we are so different. What is witchcraft? Learn more here.
The Wheel of the Year includes associated deity, and the history centers on stories about the god and goddess. However, it’s up to you to decide if that speaks to you.
For many of us, myself included, The Wheel of the Year is simply a great way to reconnect with our environment and the natural cycles of all living things. For others, each Sabbat is a piece of the story that tells their faith.
I feel that as long as we all respect each other, the 8 Sabbats can totally serve both purposes!
The Wheel of the Year begins on November first and ends on October 31. The festivals alternate between solar observances and earth centered observances. Each Sabbat comes with its own themes, correspondences, and traditions that infuse your whole year with magic rooted in the shifts of your climate and seasonal patterns.
What is Litha? The History
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, Litha, or the Summer Solstice, marks the official beginning of the summer season. Litha falls between June 20 – 23 depending on when the sun officially reaches is zenith, or highest point in the sky.
The term solstice comes from the latin root words “sol”, meaning sun, and “stitium”, meaning to stand still. Around the solstice, the sun does indeed appear to freeze in the sky, but this is simply an illusion caused by the tilt of the Earth and the location of the sun at this time.
At Litha, we experience the longest amount of daylight hours and the shortest amount of night hours. That makes Litha a significant time for celebrating life, abundance, growth, and of course the sun and fire. Nature is in frantic and full bloom, making its big push in preparation for the coming harvests.
However, in many ways, Litha also paradoxically marks the beginning of a period of mourning. After this day, each subsequent day will grow marginally shorter, bringing is into the dark half of the year. From this point onward, we essentially witness the slow death of the sun. In this way, Litha is the celebration of beginnings and endings
While Litha might be a modern celebration, the observance of the Summer Solstice has been observed for centuries by many different cultures. Ancient monuments that were built strategically to align with the sun’s zenith can be found all over the world. Stonehenge might be the most famous, but other monuments have been discovered in Ireland, France, Germany, Egypt, Jordan, India, Peru, Mexico, Senegal, Gambia, Cambodia, Malta, and throughout the U.S.
Spiritually, this is considered the time when the goddess is pregnant with thr child conceived at Beltane, and the god is at his strongest and most virile.
Litha Themes and Symbols
When I ask myself, “What is Litha?”, the first place I go for inspiration is the themes of the season. This determines all my altar decor and many of my favorite celebrations. Consider what is going on in nature where you live. Then use these themes to figure out what kind of Litha celebrations you want to have.
For example, this is the time of year where you’re doing a lot of hunting or freezer stocking, the theme of sacrifice might speak to you. If so, consider what you might sacrifice to help you make the best of your time and energy this season. If it’s the peak of your growing season right now, you might observe themes of growth, abundance, and “more”. If, instead, it’s a ten million degree hellscape outside, you might choose to focus on that destructive fire energy and breaking things down.
Themes of Litha
These are some of the common themes of Litha, but don’t feel confined by this list. First and foremost, you should always listen to your intuition and defer to the cycle of the seasons in your area to honor these changes. June in England is very different from June in North Texas where I live. For this reason, I pay careful attention to seasonal cycles relevant to North Texas when trying to determine, just what is Litha?
- abundance – In many regions, the summer marks the peak of the growing season.
- creativity – Litha is fiery, passionate, and filled with the energy of growth, just what you need for your creative endeavors.
- fertility– Fertility is really just an iteration of creative energy.
- growth – Litha is all about more… more light, more heat, more energy, more bugs, more pollen, more sun… Everything is growing!
- joy – The energy of growth, creativity, and power combined with summer vacations, beach trips, and hot, sunny days tends to give most of us a nice dopamine hit!
- light – Litha is the longest day and shortest night of the year, so light is a major theme of the season.
- mourning – After Litha, the days will again grow shorter and shorter until we finally reach the dark half of the year again at the fall equinox. In many ways, Litha represents a death in the midst of so much life.
- power – This is a great time of year for finding your inner power and for personal empowerment. While Litha tends to be a very masculine, solar celebration, it’s still also a really good time to tap into your inner unapologetic Boss Bitch energy.
- success – Since this is a season of growth and abundance, it’s also a great time to focus on success.
Symbols of the Season
Think about the symbols of summer, and you’re on the right track. The symbols of Litha and summer celebrations have a lot in common. Think bright, warm, and lush when considering your Litha decor.
- bonfires – represents life, home, and hearth.
- bees – represent abundance, new life, and sweetness.
- cauldrons – feminine energy, fertility, and creativity.
- crystal obelisks – choose a shape and color that represents the sun or masculine energy.
- discs, circles, wheels, and wreaths– symbolic of the sun.
- dragonfly – self realization, growth, emotional maturity.
- hawks, eagles, and birds of prey – considered to be solar birds in many cultures due to their powerful nature and how they fly high up in the sky.
- fire – fire symbolizes the energy of the sun and the heat of summer.
- mermaids – connected to the ocean, sensuality, and power. Total boss bitch energy. If you cross a mermaid, she will end you while wearing a smile.
- phallic objects – whether you choose to use actual penises (peni?) or a symbolic representation, pretty much any long, straight objects can be used to represent strong, solar, masculine energy.
- phoenix – transformation.
- sea urchin spines – emotional and spiritual energy flow, ocean connection, protection, vitality, positivity.
- storms, clouds, lightning, and rain– Litha has connections to Thor, the god of thunder. Early summer also tends to bring more severe storm weather.
- the sun and solar imagery – Litha is, above all, a celebration of the strongest solar energetic point in the year.
- wands – represent power, strength, and masculine energy.
- water and sacred wells– While Litha is a solar festival, the symbol of water runs deep. Holy pilgrimages to sacred waters were common in ancient times.
Litha Colors, Herbs, and Crystals
You can use these correspondences to bring Litha flair to your decorations, foods, altar, and spellwork.
Litha Colors
When choosing Litha colors, look to nature for inspiration. Consider which plants and flowers are in bloom and the color scheme of the world outside your door. Think bright sunshine and cool ocean water! Here are some of the most common colors of the season.
- red – power, strong emotions, sexual energy.
- orange – fire and solar energy, optimism, success.
- yellow – creativity, happiness, the sun.
- green – growth, abundance, life, prosperity.
- blue – water, the ocean.
- gold – gifts for spirits, solar energy and dieties.
- white – cleansing, purification.
Herbs, Plants, and Oils of Litha
These seasonal herbs, plants, and oils can be infused into your spells, meals, and even decor to add some herbal inspiration to your Litha season. I am not a master herbalist or doctor. As with all medicines, treat carefully, and do your research. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
- acorns – symbols of strength, life, and protection.
- basil – protection, abundance.
- chamomile – calming, prosperity, purification.
- calendula – healing, glamour magic (especially skin related), vitality, health, success, prosperity.
- cinnamon – brings abundance and prosperity, promotes fertility and good health, fiery energy, power.
- daisy – luck, love, wishing.
- elderflower – abundance, healing, protection, associated with fairies, associated with the Tree of Life – death and rebirth, beginnings and endings
- foxglove – attracts fairies, associated with both healing and harm, life and death, protection. (Caution. Highly toxic. Handle with gloves. Do not consume or breathe in burning plant material.)
- ginger – protection, success, personal power, success, money, passion.
- hazel – luck, protection, fertility, growth.
- heather – love, lust, sensuality, healing, water magic,
- lavender – peace, calming, healing, purification.
- lemon – solar energy, healing, cleansing.
- lemon thyme – healing, protection, cleansing, enhances power, abundance, courage.
- marigold – peace, protection, healing, happiness.
- mint – abundance, strength, power, growth, determination, travel, happiness, vitality, clarity.
- mugwort – scrying, divination, supports lucid dreaming, astral projection, and psychic. ability (Hallucinogenic. Poisonous in large quantities. Proceed with caution. Burn in a well ventilated area)
- nettle – inspires courage in times of fear.
- red roses – healing, love, protection, attraction, sexual energy.
- rosemary – healing, protection, supports mental and psychic power.
- St. John’s Wort – abundant in summer, useful for protection, attracting joy, and dispelling negative energy. (Caution: Reactive with several medications. Proceed with caution)
- sunflower – fertility, luck, fortune, solar energy, abundance, creative potential.
- thistle – protection and healing, courage, healing, deters evil.
- yarrow – endurance, healing, associated with the Horned God, divination.
Litha Crystals and Stones
These crystals and stones are perfect for home and altar decor. They’re also great for infusing your spell work and your day with the energy of Litha. I don’t recommend putting any crystals directly in water. If you choose to use crystals in baths or elixers, I suggest using an indirect infusion method. Please do your research.
- amber – brings clarity, success in manifestation, illuminates hidden knowledge, success, protection.
- bloodstone – healing, supports ancestral connection, empowering.
- carnelian – healing, protection, creative potential, fertility, motivation, boosts self esteem.
- citrine – abundance, success, protection, emotional balance.
- dragon blood jasper – courage, vitality, balance, strength, transformation, personal power.
- fulgurite – forged when lightning strikes sand, it is charged with the electrical energy of lightning and storms, supports manifestation, transformation, and creativity.
- golden apatite – healing, clarity, strength, growth, courage, self love, manifestation, solar energy.
- goldstone – abundance, wealth, motivation, boosts energy, self confidence, determination.
- honey calcite – boosts self esteem, courage, responsible use of power, helps you stand strong and hold your ground.
- pearl – associated with the ocean and water, transformation, creativity, peace, calm, clarity, represents overcoming challenges and creating something better.
- peridot – courage, luck, prosperity, abundance.
- pyrite – wealth, abundance, luck, boosts confidence, manifestation.
- red tiger eye – confidence, strength, perseverance, self esteem, vitality, motivation, aids in moving forward with your goals.
- sunstone – healing, protection, creative potential, leadership, self empowerment, confidence, and shines like the sun.
- shells – hold the energy of sacred water, life, and the ocean, protection, strength.
- tiger eye – luck, courage, prosperity.
Flavors of Litha
Any seasonal foods and drinks this time of year make the perfect addition to your Litha celebration. Since Litha is such a time of abundance, you really have a lot of options this time of year for fresh, seasonal flavors that pull in the energy of Litha.nThese are some of the most common suggestions as well as a few of my favorites.
- berries – symbols of abundance and fertility, and supercharged by the energy of the sun, ripe, juicy berries are coming into season now.
- citrus – representative of the sun and solar energy.
- cherries – passion, love, romance, sexual energy.
- coconut – water and ocean energy, strength, protection, abundance, attracts luck and positive energy
- edible flowers – time to take advantage of these delicate edibles before the heat of deep summer and the subsequent chill of autumn kill off all the buds and leave the roots dormant.
- fish and seafood – tap into the energy and flavors of the ocean with all varieties of fish and seafood. Hit it with some lemon for an extra solar punch.
- fresh herbs – herbs harvested at Litha are said to be more powerful.
- fruity wines – a great way to utilize a big harvest and enjoy the flavors of summer a little longer.
- herbal tea– super fresh, perfect with a drizzle of honey, and extra potent with the energy of the solstice sun.
- herbed bread – take advantage of potent Litha herbs by making some herbed bread.
- honey – honey is magic in its own rite, transformed by bees from pollen to honey, sweet and golden, useful in healing, preservation, a source of energy in survival situations… What can’t this ambrosia do?
- lemonade – dress up this solar charged drink with seasonal fruits or herbs and an extra hit of honey.
- milk – a great use of those meat bones and sooo good for your gut.
- mead and ale – represents harvest.
- melons – sweet, watery, and at their peak this time of year.
- okra – one of the few plants that actually thrives when everything else succumbs to the summer heat and bugs.
- sea salt – salt is always an essential part of any meal, but at Litha, why not take advantage of the minerals and energy of sea salt, a marriage of water and sun.
- seaweed and kelp – a super nutritious way to tap into the energy of the ocean.
- sun dried everything – preserve the flavors of summer with the energy of the sun.
- sun tea – take advantage of the heat and extra sunlight hours by brewing up some tea without heating up the house.
- sunflower seeds – represent summer abundance, solar energy, fertility, and potential.
What is Litha? Activities to Bring Magic to Your Litha Season
Mundane Ways to Celebrate Litha
Maybe you’re short of time or looking to get skeptical family members involved in Litha. Perhaps you’re just not super into the witchy aesthetic, or spiritual stuff makes you uncomfortable. These fun activities are just the ticket for helping you reconnect with the cycles of the season without the pressure to include actual spell work.
- Go on a nature walk. If you’ve got kids, let them pick up sticks, leaves, flowers, and acorns. You can bring them home and set up a simple science investigation to help your little witchlings learn about the changing season. My oldest loves looking at everything under a magnifying glass, while the baby loves crunching and squishing whatever she can get her hands on!
- Wear the colors of the season. Go simple with painted nails or a tie. Alternately, go full out with a head to toe Samhain inspired outfit.
- Prep for summer storm weather. For a lot of us, summer brings hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, flooding, drought, wildfires, mudslides, and probably some natural disasters I haven’t even thought of. Make sure your emergency kits are prepped for your area’s most common dangers, whatever they may be.
- Host a bonfire to celebrate the summer.
- Take a trip to somewhere you’ve wanted to visit. Litha was once a time for pilgrimage, so it makes sense that it became the time for vacation and travel.
- Visit your local beach, lake, river, pond, or stream to get back in touch with the sun, sand, and surf of summer.
- Harvest produce, and start prepping your garden space for the heat, and bug infestations, that are coming.
- Brew up a pitcher of sun tea. There’s just something special about a glass of tea cooked up by the sun.
- Make herb infused oils and tinctures to restock your medicine cabinet for the year.
- Experiment with new lemonade flavors by adding in different seasonal fruits and herbs.
- Take up a new hobby. Litha is all about growth and empowerment. What have you always wanted to try but have been too afraid? Now is the time to step outside your comfort zone.
- Perform acts of self love. Imbolc centers around self love in a very gentle, nurtering way. Litha, however, kicks through the doors and proclaims unapologetically and in no uncertain terms that you kick all sorts of ass. Do whatever makes you feel like the badass king or queen you are!
- Make sunflower pomanders. This super cute craft is fun and relatively simple. You just need a foam ball and sunflowers (real or silk). Stick the stems into the styrofoam ball to make a flower ball. Pin a ribbon loop on, and you’re ready to decorate with some summer floral fun.
- Craft floral wreathes to hang on your door and around your home. Use seasonal flowers and a circle frame to represent the sun.
Witchy Ways to Celebrate Litha
If you want to infuse some magic into your season, these activities are perfect for all you witches at heart.
- Set up your Litha altar. Include the colors, foods and symbols you have learned about here!
- Spend time in the sun. Tap into the heat and power of solar energy, and recharge your soul in the process.
- Harvest magical herbs to restock your magical herb cabinet or witchy apothecary. Herbs harvested on Litha are said to be at their most potent and powerful.
- Attend, or host, a wedding or handfasting. Summertime tends to be wedding season anyway. If Beltane didn’t feel like the right time, maybe the solstice will be.
- Collect storm water for spells and rituals.
- Hold a sun vigil. Celebrate throughout the day. Then, at sunset, honor the dying sun with a vigil.
- Take a spiritual journey or pilgrimage to a water body. Cultures throughout time have traveled to sacred places at Litha to celebrate and honor the death of the sun and cleanse themselves in special bodies of water. Maybe you go on a true pilgrimage. Perhaps you hike to the nearby lake. If you’re a little more landlocked, take a stroll around the block, and top it off with a ritual bath or shower.
- Host a bonfire. Litha is, after all, a celebration of fire, heat, and sun. Make it more magical by dancing in a circle around the flames.
- Make sun tea with a twist by infusing traditional sun tea with magical intentions or special Litha herbs.
- Perform sun salutations. If you already do yoga or enjoy working out, sun salutations can be a great way to honor solar energy within your normal practice.
- Drink magical herbal tea using herbs that you charge in the sun or harvest yourself.
- Charge your tools with sunlight. Much like when we charge crystals and tools with the moon, we can do this with the sun, too! Just make sure you choose items that won’t be damaged by sun or heat.
- Make a day of it by watching the rising and setting sun on solstice day. Celebrate the sunrise, and mourn as it sets.
Divination for the Season
Pretty much any of your favorite forms of divination are fair game any time of year. However, these are some of my favorites that I feel truly embrace the themes of the season.
- Pull out your favorite tarot or oracle deck.
- Read tea leaves. Add extra potency by brewing up tea with sun charged herbs.
- Flower divination. Pick daisy petals from flower heads alternating between yes and no to answer your questions.
- Weather divination. Learn how to read weather patterns and predict coming changes.
- Cast runes made from shells to tap into the ancient wisdom of the sea.
- Try water or fire scrying since the elements of water and fire are extra strong at Litha.
- Learn to cast and read Ogham rods.
Litha Spell Ideas for Seasonal Magic
Whether you have loads of time for an elaborate ritual, or you’re a busy witch with no spare time, you’ll find spell ideas here to perfectly suit your needs and bring in the themes of Samhain.
- Love Workings and Sex Magic
- Strawberry Love Potion – Perfect for the June Strawberry Full Moon!
- Weather and Storm Magic
- Self Care Rituals
- Herbal Magic
- Honey Jar Spells
- Cleansing Baths or Showers
- Healing Spells
- Abundance and Growth Magic
- Fire Magic
- Claim Your Power Spell
Spirits and Deities of Litha
Litha is the time of year for deities of fertility, virility, and the sun. Here are a few examples to guide your research if deity work interests you. This list is NOT exhaustive and really only scratches the surface.
Sun goddesses
- Aine – Celtic goddess of the sun.
- Amaterasu – Japanese Shinto sun goddess who is said to come from that which all light is formed.
- Aurora – Roman goddess of the dawn, associated with the ocean and sunlight.
- Bast – Egyptian solar goddess.
- Ekhi – Basque goddess of the sun and protector of humanity.
- Hestia – Greek goddess of fire and the hearth.
- Xihe – Chinese sun goddess, mother of the ten suns.
Sun gods
- Apollo – Greek god of the sun, music, healing, and medicine.
- Horus – Egyptian solar deity.
- Huitzilopochtil – Aztec god of sun and war.
- Helios – Greek Titan god of light and sight.
- Inti – Incan sun god.
- Ra – Egyptian primordial sun god.
- Surya – Hindu god of the sun, vitality, knowledge, and bringer of the sun.
- Thor – not a solar god, but the Norse god of thunder and storms which are also prevalent in the summer months.
- Father Time – another name for Saturn.
- The Holly and Oak Kings – Wiccan deities said to battle each other and Yule and Litha. When they battle at Litha, the Oak King will be defeated, and the Holly King takes over to reign in the darkening half of the year.
- Salamander – said to be carriers of the element of fire and transformation.
How Do You Celebrate Litha?
As you can see, Litha can mean so many different things to each of us. You have a lot of options to make your Litha magical! It all just depends on what rings true and what lines up with our surroundings.
What is your favorite way to celebrate Litha? Do you have any traditions I didn’t mention here? I’d love to hear about them!
So, what is Litha to you?
